Bahia Adair and vicinity, Sonora: modern siliciclastic-dominated arid macrotidal coastline
The northwestern Sonoran coastline, in the vicinity of Bahia Adair, combines several important geologic features. The arid landward environments are dominated by the dunes of the Gran Desierto and the surrounding alluvial fans and ephemeral streams. The Colorado River, whose delta lies to the northwest, has been an important source of sediment until very recently. The high tidal energy of the region has profoundly influenced the distribution and geometries of coastal and shallow-marine sand bodies, and the active tectonic setting has also played a role. The Cerro Prieto splay of the San Andreas fault system has been responsible for local uplift and downwarp and resulting transgression and regression. The intertidal and supratidal zones are dominated by sand and constitute a sand-body type that has been seldom considered by petroleum explorationists or other students of ancient sand bodies, and the associated evaporites are rather different from those described from the superficially analogous Persian Gulf sabkhas.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5795863
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-890404-
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bull.; (United States) Vol. 73:3; ISSN AABUD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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